riverviewlogs | January monthly log!

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January monthly log!

who: Ivar and others. Maybe even you?
what: Monthly log
when: All throughout January
where: Abandoned City, the park, all over
warnings: A fight, possible baby mama drama, maybe some body horror with morphing?

A. First rule of Fight Club - For Damian and later on Bucky

Considering how their last fight had gone, even if Damian didn't remember, Ivar was eager to see who would win in this second one. He headed out into the Abandoned City towards the biggest waterfall. It was best not to do this in the city, for it was a certainty that someone would try to stop the two of them if they knew what they were up to. This might have been the wiser course of action, for there was no telling how carried away they were likely to get during this.

Ivar was the first to arrive and he waited, taking out his axe, sharpening it on a whetting stone as he waited for the young assassin to arrive.

B. The blue box - For Marco

It's been several weeks since Ivar broke his leg badly and Marco had to rescue him in gorilla form. While his leg is now healed up thanks to the ministrations of Shigeru, such a traumatic experience is not easily forgotten. They haven't really spoken much of it since then, but observant as Ivar is, he's noticed that Marco seems to have something on his mind.

Rather than press him, he waits for Marco to find the right moment to talk to him. It appears to come when they're relaxing on the couch together, Ivar with his head in Marco's lap and his eyes closed, the TV on for background noise. Marco says something that he doesn't quite catch, so Ivar opens up his eyes and looks up. "Hmmm? What did you say?"

C. Co-parenting - For Letha

Dealing with Letha was rather like strategizing for a war. He kept trying to read her and figure out how to stay one step ahead. Right now, they were in an uneasy truce, both of them remaining civil for the sake of Winter. Ivar wanted to believe that she had changed and actively wanted to be a part of her daughter's life again, but the cynical side of him wondered how long it would last.

The reunion hadn't been smooth. As soon as she picked up Winter, the familiar glow surrounded the baby, and Letha had nearly fainted from stubbornly insisting she kept wanting to hold onto her. Ivar wasn't sure how much babies could remember, but it was obvious he was going to need to deal with this problem of Winter draining her mother's life force sooner rather than later.

The best thing for her would be to associate Letha with positive feelings, love and comfort, the way she did with Ivar. So right now, they were out in the backyard of Letha's house. Winter had on a cute little smock dress as she crawled around the backyard while her parents watched her.

"She's gotten so big," Ivar remarked. He was hoping she wouldn't drain the life out of any of the plants or bugs in the backyard, but if she did, well, at least it wasn't a person.

D. What kind of Pokemon are you? - OTA

With all that had been going on lately, Ivar hadn't had the chance to really get his Pokemon out and about. It made him feel a little guilty. Pets were not to be neglected no matter what form they came in. So he took the three of them out to a nearby park and released them from their Pokeballs so that they could get some exercise.

Skinfaxi and Hrimfaxi galloped around for a bit before settling down to graze. It was amazing how his Ponyta had grown from a tiny foal all the way to a full-grown stallion big enough to ride. Sprig, on the other hand, remained close to Ivar, occasionally nudging him in hopes of getting a treat. He was a gluttonous little thing.

If he saw anyone, he would wave them over, proud to show off his trio of pocket monsters.

E. Morphing - OTA (Set at some point after the thread with Marco)

Anyone walking around the city would notice a certain oddity now roaming the streets. There were different animals wandering around. Some were ones from earth and others were obviously alien in nature. Most of the time, they could be found tearing around at top speeds, or if they had wings, awkwardly swooping down low to land nearby people. It was, of course, Ivar testing out his new powers.

If he noticed anyone that he knew, he was likely going to approach them, trying to look as cute as possible. He wasn't going to be revealing who he was just yet. He wanted to see what advantages there were when people just thought a dumb animal was around them, not a Viking who was far too sneaky for his own good.

This will only end well.

F. Wildcard

[Have an idea or want a custom starter? PM me or send me a Plurk at

Light_shade]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Athelstan doesn't stay inside the housing too often when he's not working. The work as a farmhand is good but he often finds himself in the park with his journal. There were many new art supplies in this place he's found but he's taken to simple pens and pencils, at least less cumbersome to travel along with and write and draw with. The different paints and colors that are available always catch his eyes. He hasn't indulged, it seemed frivolous since there were not really any illuminations to do here.

So, this day he's in the park, sitting under a tree, the weather good enough in his mind for some time sketching.

The sketch he is currently working on is one of Gyda. He's still so happy to see her alive and well, thriving here. It feels hard to explain and perhaps it is a bit unnatural but it did not feel wrong to him.

So there is where he was when he saw a dog. He tilted his head at the animal a small smile on his lips. ]

Hello there.

[ He greets the dog, setting his pencil down. he's noticed that there are animals that seem to roam of their own accord here, some nicer than others. ]

[Ivar's been getting a bit lost in the dog instincts as he wanders around. Everything just smells so good and he can hear things from such a long ways away. Plus, there's the natural happiness and joy for life that dogs seem to possess, a startling change from his usual anger.

Ivar catches scent of Athlestan as he wanders through the park. His tail starts to wag almost of its own volition, which is a dead giveaway how he really feels about the priest. He wanders over to where he's sitting, squinting at the page. His eyesight in this form is less strong than as a human, but he thinks it's his sister being sketched out on the page.

He sits down next to Athlestan, tilting his head back with an inquiring look. It is time to be pet.]

[ When the dog sits down it's very clear that it means no harm. He reaches to stroke his hand over the dogs head to start with, scratching behind his ears. ]

You're a gorgeous dog.

[ It's true he finds, the coat soft and beautiful and the eyes as well. He's not really seen a dog that looked exactly like this before. ]

[Ivar lets out a sigh as his ears are scratched. That feels so nice in his current form and his tail keeps thumping on the ground as Athlestan pets him. Dogs are very inside instinctive judges of character and the doggie part of his mind has decided Athlestan falls under the category of being good.

He huffs out a sound of agreement at being called gorgeous, though it's easy enough just to be taken as another dog sound. Ivar is much more mellow in this form, the pain in his legs that fuels part of his anger absent for the moment.]

[ If Athelstan had known this was Ivar, well, it probably wouldn't have changed a thing. He would have still pet him because it seems that the dog rather likes it as dogs do. He continues to pet, his free hand closing the journal and setting it off to the side before he manages to smudge his drawing some way or other. ]

I never had a pet.

[ Athelstan informs the dog. The monastary, it wouldn't have been reasonable. The farm had had animals but those could hardly be deemed as pets even if Athelstan had made the mistake of getting too attached to one here or there. ]

But I always enjoyed the stray dog. You're quite well kept, though.

[ Perhaps not a stray. ]

[It's been interesting to see what people reveal when they think it's just an ordinary dog that they're talking to. Of course, seeing as how the priest appears to be a simple soul, Ivar's not expecting him to tell him any deep, dark secrets.

He lifts a back leg and scratches vigorously behind an ear as he listens to Athlestan talk. Then he turns his head around, nose quivering as he sifts through the scents coming off the priest. He smells of drawing materials and the clean scent that comes from bathing often. Amusingly, he can also catch a little bit of Ragnar's scent as if Athlestan has been in close contact with him recently. He looks at Athlestan with bright blue doggie eyes that seem both simple and wise at the same time.]

[ There's very few times since he got here that Athelstan wouldn't have been close to Ragnar to various degrees of intimacy. So it's not strange at all that he could scent it. He studies the dog and continues to pet him. It's a relaxing motion and he reaches back to his journal pulling it out and with one hand giving the dog love, his other flips through pages.

In it, Ivar might catch glimpses of sketches of his brothers as young ones, Aslaug, Lagertha, Floki and many from home. There's some he might not recognize like Judith and Aethelwulf. There's more than a few of Ragnar and even some of Ivar himself. The details are probably lost on a dog but the drawings of Ivar look more sad than they do angry. When he gets to an empty page he looks back at the dog. ]

I wonder if you have a name. [ There's a comfortable companionship in being near the animal, that feels familiar in some way that he can't know but he starts to sketch the new animal friend. Perhaps, a name will be discovered later. ]

[There's a very undoglike series of movements where he cocks his head and clearly seems to be studying the pictures that are being flipped through. Athlestan is quite talented, capturing the likenesses of those that Ivar has cared about over the course of his life. It's a refreshing sight to someone who only has memories to cling to, especially of those dead like his mother.

When Athelestan pulls out a pencil with the intent of sketching him, he turns around so that he's facing the priest, and sits back down. With head held high, it's clear that he's posing, quite another undoglike bit of behavior.]

[ The dog is strange, Athelstan can't help but notice. He studies him when he poses. ]

You're a very smart dog, aren't you?

[ He smiles and reaches to scratch behind his ear before he looks down at the paper and starts sketching the new companion. ]

[Ivar nods when Athlestan says he's a good dog, a clear sign that he's been understanding everything the priest has been saying up to this point. He's interested to see exactly what he'll make of what appears to be an animal with the intelligence of a human being.]

[ It's strange and Athelstan ponders him for a few moments and then he starts to draw again. ]

I wonder if there is a school for dogs here and that is how you've come to be so smart. [ He glances at the dog. He has no idea of what the reality is and is searching for plausible explanations. ]

[Well, that's a good guess, though still off the mark. Ivar decides it's a good moment to reveal himself to the priest.]

< No. I've always been this smart. >

[Athlestan will hear a voice that is definitely Ivar's in his head as the dog stares intently at him.]

[ The voice is all too familiar but it startles Athelstan because it's in his head. His brows furrow as he drops his pencil to stare at the dog. The sense of famliarity now makes sense as does the other's interest in his drawings.

He's not sure want to say and then he smiles. He reaches and scratches the dog he now knows is Ivar behind the ears. ]

What sort of magic have you toyed with?

[ Perhaps, years ago, he would have found this idea evil but as it is... and being that he is in a place like this -- everything seems possible. ]

[This priest seems to be accepting of a lot of things, Ivar included, so it doesn't surprise him that Athlestan is fine with his current state. He lays down next to the priest, eyes wrinkling in pleasure at having his ears scratched. He's a lot nicer in this form, lacking the usual pain and including the dog's instincts geared towards happiness.]

< It's not magic. It's technology. A friend offered a way for me to transform into any animal I can touch. >

[It wasn't hard to imagine why a crippled teenager would want to be able to change.]

[ Athelstan uses one hand to pet Ivar and the other to continue his sketching. There isn't much of a breeze so the pages stay in place instead of fluttering as he works. ]

There must be a great deal of comfort afforded to you with this. It's a blessing.

< It is. I've been able to run for the first time in my entire life. >

[A childhood dream that had finally come true. No pain, mobility, and being able to use a bunch of different senses. Ivar felt this was a very good gift he'd been handed.]

[ Athelstan smiles again. He's happy for Ivar to have found this, as strange as it may be. Sometimes, technology feels a lot more like magic. He's not sure what the difference really is. ]

I am very happy for you, Ivar. You were already quite capable but this I hope fulfills you further.

[ He's never particularly thought of Ivar as a cripple when they first met. He was too much his father's son, strong and dauntless. He had his trials and limitations but so did Ragnar even if they were not so visible. ]

[Ivar shifts, laying his furry head down in Athlestan's lap. This normally was something he never would have thought of doing, but as a dog, it felt quite natural to express his emotions this way.

Why does this man have to be so damn nice all the time? In anyone else, he would have suspected some ulterior motive or a mask to hide himself, but Athlestan seemed to have no guile to him whatsoever.]

< It's amazing. I'm still getting used to it, but so far, I've found nothing but good things in being able to shift form.

[ Athelstan's hand doesn't stop sketching when Ivar's head moves onto his lap. It's comfortable. Perhaps it should have been odd to think that is ivar laying his head on his lap but it doesn't strike him that way. It again reminds him of times when Bjorn had softened to him -- and he was sure no one was around to see him act like the child he still was around Athelstan. He'd told him many stories.

He gets the feeling that for some reason, he hadn't been able to do the same for Ivar when he was a child. He hoped that someone had and yet he's not sure how to ask the question. ]

Are there any dangers?

[He was beginning to see why this priest had meant so much to his father. Ragnar had never spoken of him to Ivar. All he had known was what little Floki had told him, of the priest that had stayed among the Vikings, but who had to be sacrificed to the gods in the end.]

< Only if I stay in one form for more than two hours. If I do that, I'll be stuck as whatever creature I am permanently. It's not going to happen. >

[Ivar may have cursed and hated his stupid, weak legs, but there were too many advantages to being human for him to give it up.]

How is it that you can keep track of time like this?

[ Athelstan questions, it causes him some concern. What if at some point Ivar lost track of time? ]

< There's a clock almost anywhere you go in the city. I just look at the time and keep track of it from there. >

[Don't worry, Athlestan. Ivar's far too smart to ever get stuck permanently as an animal. He's got this down pat already.]

[ Athelstan would always worry but he doesn't voice his further concerns. Ivar is a capable man, he knows that. He doesn't particularly need anyone, least of all someone he barely knows worrying over his well being. ]

What do you like about being a dog?

< Being able to run everywhere. >

[That was obvious considering Ivar's legs. He was so happy to be in a strong form that could run as much as he wanted to. Then he goes on.]

< The sense of smell and hearing are incredible. It's like going from being deaf to suddenly being able to hear. And they're very happy creatures, all full of optimism about life. >

It sounds like there is a lot of joy to have from being one and also things to learn from. [ The happiness and optimism in any case could always stand to be carried over to humans too, even if in small amounts. ]

January monthly log!

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